According to the 2010 Census, Asian Americans are the fastest growing ethnic group in the United States with a 46% increase between 2000 and 2010.

There are 18.2 million Asian Americans who comprise 6% of the total US population

60% are foreign born

The great diversity between Asian American subpopulations in levels of education and income is often masked when APIs are reported as a homogeneous population

Of the 11.6 million undocumented individuals, 1.4 are from Asian countries

It is estimated that close to half of all immigrants who are “illegal” came on a legal visa then let it expire, sometimes unaware that this had occurred. It is uncertain how many Asians fall into this category.

Mental Health issues:

Immigration is in and of itself an emotionally stressful situation, resulting in loss of status, trying to adjust to life in a new country and intergenerational conflict. Challenges faced by unfair policies and practices only contribute to the emotional turmoil for the immigrant Asian population.

The backlog of individuals wishing to immigrate results in years of separation between family members. Needless to say this creates tremendous emotional strain for the entire family. It also destroys the basic fabric of Asian cultures which relies on strong family ties.

The additional emotional strain to pay high fees to become citizens adds to an already stressful situation.

Ongoing stress can result in poorer performance at work or school and can negatively impact a person’s overall health.

The fear of deportation is a daily threat that can create serious emotional trauma. This holds true for those who are fully documented but may have family members who are not

Undocumented workers are at great risk for being abused by employers and feel they have no recourse to protect themselves.

Even those who are documented but have limited English proficiency are at risk of being abused by those who take advantage of their situation

While DREAM Act youth are being protected by this administration, they are still at risk for deportation because of those who are still see them as “illegal” and are working to have them removed.